HOLYOKE - After a slow start, enough was enough for the East Longmeadow football team Friday night.

Trailing 13-0 after one quarter, the Spartans regrouped behind a rip-roaring performance by sophomore tailback Mike Maggipinto en route to a 41-28 shootout victory over Holyoke,

Maggipinto's heroics included 297 yards on 24 carries and four touchdowns, three of which came in the tell-tale second quarter on runs covering 20, 5, and 40 yards.

Until then, the 3-1 Spartans (1-1 AA Conference) started off against the underdog Purple Knights (0-4, 0-3) on the road to ruin.

After accepting the opening kick, Holyoke went three and out and were forced to punt and East Longmeadow promptly fumbled.

Holyoke quarterback Andrew Peltier, standing tall in the pocket all night long (22 for 43, 265 yards and three touchdowns) found a leaping Kristian Arturet for a 30-yard score.

On East Longmeadow's next possession, senior Justin White picked off a pass and raced 60 yards to paydirt for a 13-0 lead at the 6:53 mark.

For the rest of the half, the Spartans dug in and dominated. They couldn't cash in on a long drive that stalled on penalty and a fumbled snap late in the first quarter.

But in the second, the Spartans rolled up and down the field on scoring drives consuming six plays, six plays again, and three plays at 11:50, 4:46, and 1:31 respectively, with Maggipinto doing the touchdown honors on each.

The fireworks in the second half put the defenses on both sides in a crash and burn mode.

Out of the gate, East Longmeadow quarterback Devon Kennedy, a senior, targeted wide receiver Ryan Taff (seven catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns) all by himself for a catch and run touchdown covering 41 yards at 9:53.

Holyoke responded late in the quarter when Peltier hooked-up with Taivon Morales from 12 yards out, cutting the lead to 28-21.

The fourth quarter belonged to Maggipinto.

His 25-yard scamper led to the Kenndy-Taft tandem connecting again, this time from 18 yards to finisha nine-play march at 8:17 to make it 34-21.

The Purple Knights refused to go away. Peltier capped a series with a 15-yard scoring pass to junior Danny Boyle at 6:43 to make it 34-28.

That's when Maggipinto ripped off a 48-yard dash on the Spartans next series to the Holyoke 25. Tanner Fazzino bolted for 12 yards to the Holyoke 13 with everyone keying on Maggipinto. On the next snap, Maggipinto darted in and the Spartans finally gathered some room to breathe at 41-28.

Now desperate, Peltier hit sophomore Raekwon Acevedo for 50 yards all the way to the East Longmeadow 7 but the Spartan defenders held firm on the next four plays to give the ball back to their offense.

Maggipinto reached critical mass on the first snap after the defensive stand. He zigged and zagged for a 65-yard romp and from there East Longmeadow ran out the clock.

The two offenses combined for nearly 750 yards (477 to 267 in East Longmeadow's favor) and 44 first downs (27 to 17, East Longmeadow).